The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-12
DRUNKENNESS, GLUTTONY.
THE LAST WORSE AND MORE DE
GRADING THAN THE FIRST.
Prohibition Chamberlain
Othsr Vice to he Cured.
To the Editor of tho Appeal;

To the Editor Of the Appeal:
The friends of prohibition in Men,
phis have organized for the campaign.
A stirring conflict is anticipated, and
the religious elements Chose known
as Evangelists) are polishing their
amor and preparing for the battle
The first steps taken to unite all thu
friends Of prohibition under our ban
ner must be acknowledged as evinc.
ing thorough knowledge of the cues
ton and OF human nature as well.
To lift this great question out of the
mire OF politics; 10 strip it Of all ad-
junCts and place 1t ON an exalted ie-
ligious plane, is a grand conception,
in complete harmony with the best
thought of the trained theological
mind, whose highest efforts are prop.
erly directed toward the conversion Of
erring humanity.
To ident fy total abstinence and pro.
hibition not only with religion but
with evangelical religion, is proper
rebuke to those who remain outside
the sacred portals, but who can enter
for the asking-such indeed often per.
sist in advocating q libsrality in faith
and practice which works untold
mischief 1t will be conceded by the
good people who formed the immortal
nucleus Of that armOred band which
shall shortly 60 forth to the FRAY, that
liberality is wholesome sentiment
when it tends in the right direction
reserving as they properly do, the
privilege of selecting the things that
are right and giving them their ap-
proval. The hopes and aspirations of
such men, imbued with the time hon.
ored spirit OF exalted faith, cannot be
Understood by irreverent skeptiCs, and
as sometimes happens, the highest
efforts at the truly good are scoffsd at
by the thoughtless herd.
There must be an end some time to
the unlicensed liberty granted the
profane, the wicked, the sacreljRious
"a liberty it would seem, equal at
present in breadth and thickness to
that which is accorded 10 the elite of
the land. 1t 10 high time, indeed, |
thst an organization aiming at these |
glorious purposes should surround |
itself with an adamantine wall OF re.
ligious principles that cannot be en- |
.oached:upon by thelcommon throng. |
1t was wise, too, not to recognize the |
advantages of prohibition from a
moral standpoint, for the standard of
morality is unwiitten, and each man
may look upon himself as his
own ideal, whereas religion is a writ.
len law and one can subscribe to its
doctrines without making any radical
change in his morals. Even in a
small community, breach Of moral
aw may pass without censure in one
.amily, while In a2other such breach
would entail severe condemnation.
Looking dispassionstely at the maRnifi.
,ent foundation built for the citadel of
In Memphis, we may feel
hat the battle is already won, and be.
yond q reasonable doubt that would Re
he result If the question unfortu-
lstely did not require vote of the
people, who often turn their backs on
he master spirits Of the age," We
nay deplore an omission on the part
1 the prohibition organization, which
We assume was unintentional, Tha
luton, equal in sinfulness to the
runkard, receives no condemnation.
he highest medical authorities
barge dyspepsia and 0out
D gluttony, and these diseases
re transmitted to posterity. It was
bought at one time that the rich alone
'ere punished by the devil govt, but
q this land Of plenty it has ceased to
Q mark Of aristocracy, and the pie
elan suffers now as we'll as he of an.
lent linesgs and blue blood. Clint.
my Is q repulsive and degrading
abit, yet all Of US have known men
secular, as we'll as Of religions '
lrn, to sit at the table until their
eins threateningly bulged out and
nd turned to dusky hue, apparently
unconscious during the absorbing con.